Linked
by foxyfeline
Summary: An explosion puts Shalimar and Brennan in comas but what no one realizes is that now their minds are linked and one is keeping the other alive *COMPLETED*
1. chapter 1

Title: Linked  
  
Pairing: B/S (who else would I write about?)  
  
Summary: An explosion puts Shalimar and Brennan in comas but what no one realizes is that now their minds are linked and one is keeping the other alive  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own them so don't sue  
  
A/N: takes place after the season finale and some of the scenes are just me using my imagination about what I want to see past the season opener.  
  
~~~  
  
Shalimar watched Brennan pace the small area in the lab where they were assigned to protect Adam's friend, Dr. Holland, while he completed his invention; a machine that can isolate and remove certain particles from an atom.  
  
When they got the assignment, Shalimar wasn't too excited but at least it gave them a chance to get out sanctuary especially since Adam kept them under lock and key since the incident at Nexcon.  
  
She could still remember the distressed look on Brennan's face when she finally woke up. She had never seen him so panicked and on the verge of tears before. Not even when he thought he was going to die because his powers were out of control had she seen him so upset.  
  
She continued to watch him pace. Part of her wanted to tell him how she felt and the other part wanted to run and hide from what she was feeling. The feelings that were stirred by seeing her father again were nothing compared to feelings she felt when around Brennan. That is what scared her the most. She didn't know how to deal with what she felt for Brennan. At least with her father she knew she was mad at him and could direct those feelings toward hating him but with Brennan she had no idea how direct her feelings. There was also the fact that she feared he might not feel the same which was another reason why she kept quiet.  
  
She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Brennan calling her "Shal you in there?"  
  
"Hmm.Yeah sorry I was just thinking"  
  
"Thinking about your dad?" he knew she still had some resentment toward her father for helping Eckhardt and his assuming she needed to be healed. In fact he had a lot of resentment for the man. After all he was the reason they were in that explosion and why Shalimar almost died.  
  
"Yeah" she covered quickly while looking into his deep dark eyes.  
  
And there it was. That awkward silence where they stared at the other as if one wanted to say something or wanted to make the first move but like always there was something to interrupt them and this time it came in the form of Dr. Holland  
  
"Oh there you are" the doctor said, oblivious to what was going on between the two mutants "I wanted to tell you I am going to turn on my machine so if you see the lights flicker don't panic" he finished before leaving them alone again  
  
Shalimar thanked God that Adam wasn't like that. She had to admit that Dr. Holland fit the typical scientist stereotyped all the way down to his coke bottle glasses and ability to be oblivious to the world around him.  
  
"Where did Adam say he met him?" Brennan asked as he watched the man leave  
  
Looking him right in the eye and flashing him one of her 'get real' smiles she replied "you think I was listening at the time? I was just so happy he was letting us out of sanctuary I tuned the rest out"  
  
He laughed "yeah I hear that" They shared a quick laugh before they noticed the lights begin to flicker. "Guess we better go make sure the doc doesn't hurt himself"  
  
They left the small room and headed towards the main lab. When they arrived they found that the doctor wasn't alone. In fact he had four visitors in the form of Eckhardt's new mutants.  
  
Noticing the two new arrivals the lead mutant, who had a tight hold on Dr. Holland, looked Brennan and Shalimar up and down before ordering two of the mutants to attack "get rid of them" he said while he dragged the doctor out of the room.  
  
The two mutants nodded and headed toward Brennan and Shalimar. "Adam, we got trouble at Dr. Holland's lab. Eckhardt sent some of his new mutants here and we could use a hand" Shalimar said into her comm. before she and Brennan were engaged in hand to hand combat. The third mutant hung back and headed for the main computer and began the task of downloading all Dr. Holland's research onto a disk.  
  
"Shalimar we're on our way" replied Jesse but they were too busy to respond to the molecular  
  
Seeing the man at the computer Shalimar used a desk to back flip over her assailant and headed towards him. Unfortunately for her he was quicker than her. Charging what looked like a ball of energy the man flung it at her, striking her in the chest sending her sprawling into a nearby lab table. Taking a moment to admire his handy work he smirked at the fallen feral, finished the download and ducked out but not before launching another ball of energy at the still running machine.  
  
Shalimar felt like her chest was caving in as she struggled to get into a sitting position. Placing a hand between her breasts she tried desperately to steady her breathing as she watched the mutant who sucker punched her release his powers on the machine before ducking out the nearest exit. It was only when he was out of sight did notice the set of feet before her and the face of her first opponent leering down at her.  
  
After making short work of his opponent Brennan looked for Shalimar. When he noticed her on the floor and her opponent standing over her, ready to strike, he quickly ran over, grabbed the man's arm and punched him several times. He was helping Shalimar up when he heard her raspy voice choke out  
  
"The machine" she said as she leaned on Brennan for much needed support in rising to her feet  
  
Brennan took one look at the machine and the tendrils of electricity at least that is what he assumed it to be, flowing out of it "we gotta get out of here" he yelled as he pulled Shalimar closer to him and attempted to break for the door but it was too late.  
  
The machine sent out a beam of light that seemed to encase the two members of Mutant X, almost protecting them, as the rest of it overloaded and destroyed most of the room they were in while at the same time killing the other two mutants instantly. When the light finally died it dropped the two new mutants in unconscious heaps on the now charred lab floor.  
  
Moments later the helix landed on the roof of the building but neither of them heard it  
  
~~~  
  
TBC....Well there is part one. Let me know what you think and if I should continue or not. Because after all, your reviews are important to me!! 


	2. chapter 2

~~~  
  
The stench of burnt flesh assaulted Jesse and Emma like a tidal wave as they forced the lab door open, nearly causing both to losing consciousnesses as it permeated their senses. Once he was able to stop his stomach from rolling and his nose from burning Jesse swiftly moved past the burnt remains of the two other mutants and over to his friends  
  
"Brennan, Shalimar" he called out as he kneeled down and felt for a pulse. When he found one in each of them he let out a sigh of relief "they're alive" he said  
  
Looking around at the destruction and trying desperately to block out the faint remnants of the two dead mutants agony as they died, Emma tried to fathom how Brennan and Shalimar had managed to survive so unscathed when the rest of the room looked like a barbeque gone bad "How did they survive this?" she asked  
  
Taking a moment to look around for himself Jesse wondered the same thing "I don't know but we better get them back to Adam" he replied as he lifted the much larger Brennan slung him over his shoulder "Do you think you can carry Shalimar?" he asked Emma  
  
"Yeah I think so" she replied as she picked up the smaller feral and followed Jesse back to the Helix  
  
"Adam the lab was destroyed. Brennan and Shalimar survived but are unconscious. We're bringing them back to sanctuary" Jesse yelled into his comm.  
  
"Alright I'll be waiting. Were there any signs of Dr. Holland?" asked Adam  
  
"No, my guess is Eckhardt's men left with him before the fireworks" replied Jesse as he took one last look at the destroyed lab and shifted Brennan higher on his shoulder. After reaching the Helix he gently put the larger man on floor before heading for the controls. "Emma you in?" he asked taking a quick glance behind him  
  
"Yeah" she replied as she laid Shalimar down next to Brennan and headed to the front to sit with Jesse. Both remained silent as Jesse flew the Helix back to Sanctuary unaware of what their friend's were about to go through  
  
~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
Shalimar awoke with a splitting headache. Feeling as if she had been out drinking all night she slowly rubbed her temples in an attempt to ease the pounding that took place there. When she noticed she was no longer in the lab but in an apartment a rush of confusion and panic overtook her.  
  
Grabbing onto a nearby piece of furniture for leverage the feral was immediately hit with a strong wave of dizziness and nausea. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply in order to let the unwelcome sensation pass Shalimar called out to Brennan. When she didn't receive a reply she carefully made her way to door, opened it and headed out into the hallway.  
  
Once there she looked in each of the adjacent apartments. When she came up empty she once again closed her eyes and took a deep breathe. But this time she let her eyes go feral as she opened them stretching her senses to their maximum in hopes of picking up some trace of Brennan's scent. After picking up a faint trace she quickly moved down the hall in that direction.  
  
As Brennan's scent became stronger her feral hearing began to pick up a man's unfamiliar muffled voice. As she approached the door from which the yelling was coming from Shalimar let her sense return to normal before slowly turning the doorknob and entering the room  
  
Once inside she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a young boy lying on the floor in the fetal position trying desperately to block out the taunts and occasional kicks of the older man, who she could only assume was the boy's father. Angry that a grown man could yell and kick a defenseless child, Shalimar made ready to pounce but stopped when the man resumed his taunts  
  
"You are a nothing freak do you hear me?" the man yelled. "You are an embarrassment and piece of crap that I am ashamed to call my step son. Are you listening to me Brennan?"  
  
Gasping when she heard the man say Brennan's name, Shalimar slowly backed away from the two figures. It was at that moment she noticed her Brennan standing off in the corner in a complete daze. Calling out his name she quickly moved to his side but as she did she noticed that the scene before them flickered and nearly disappeared.  
  
Realization dawned on her "Brennan it isn't real" she said to him but he didn't move. Grabbing his face in her hands she forced him to look at her and not the horrific scene in front of them "Brennan look at me" she said. His eyes slowly drifted from the scene to her "it isn't real"  
  
Never taking his off her he took a deep breathe and the scene eventually disappeared. "Sorry I .."  
  
"Hey it's ok" she replied looking at the empty space behind her "let's get out of here" she added rubbing his arm and leading toward the door  
  
"Yeah" he quietly replied as he walked out of the open door. Only to his surprise he didn't appear in the hallway, at least not the apartment hallway anyway. Looking around he noticed they were now in some sort of hospital "what the hell?" he said to himself as he turned to look at Shalimar  
  
Shalimar exited the apartment only to find herself in her own nightmare. Upon taking in the white walls and sterile smell that only a hospital would have, she knew exactly where they were and it was somewhere she'd rather not be.  
  
~~~  
  
TBC....Thanks for the reviews. Glad you liked the first chapter-hope I can keep it up!! Just remember that if you want more you have to ask for it by using that little box in the lower right hand corner of your screen that says "submit a review" Later. 


	3. chapter 3

~~~  
  
"Shal you ok?" Brennan asked but she didn't answer she merely walked past him to a large glass window where, inside a young girl was being repeatedly beaten.  
  
"They beat me till they got tired but it never changed anything" she whispered as they watched the scene  
  
Brennan's heart began to break. This was what she had described to him and the others when they were trying to convince her to reconnect with her father. How could a parent allow their child to knowingly be beaten by others just so they feel better about her nature? He asked himself. "Shalimar this isn't real. It's just like me and my step father; it's a memory, nothing more"  
  
Shalimar watched the scene before them for a few more minutes before simply walking away from the window without saying a word.  
  
After taking one last look at the young girl behind the glass Brennan backed away and followed Shalimar down the hall. "Are you ok?" he asked when he caught up to her  
  
"Yeah I will be, you?"  
  
"Yeah I think so. I would just like to know what the hell is going on" he said frustratingly  
  
"Me too" she replied as they turned the corner.  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Adam re-ran all his scans a second and third to time to be sure what he was seeing was actually real. Somehow Brennan and Shalimar's brain wave and heart rate patterns were exactly the same. He had never seen anything like it.  
  
It took him some time before he was able to sift through the single pattern and discern who was who. After that he simulated a separation but when he did he noticed that Shalimar's heart rate and brain activity seemed to decrease dramatically but when he recombined them her vitals went back up. He concluded that their vitals were not only the same but somehow Brennan was keeping Shalimar alive.  
  
What troubled him was even if they were able to separate them he had no way of telling if he could save Shalimar.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile Jesse was going over the video footage from the lab in hopes of discovering how their friends ended up the way they did. "Hey Emma come take a look at this"  
  
"What is it?" she asked as she came up behind him  
  
"I was watching the footage from the lab and check this out" he replied as he rewound the footage to the point right before the explosion "see that right there?" he said pointing to the beam of light that surrounded Brennan and Shalimar  
  
"What caused that, the machine?"  
  
"Not alone it didn't. If I go back a little further you can see one of the mutants fire what looks like electricity at the machine causing it to overload. He leaves, Brennan and Shalimar go to leave but the beam catches them and then the machine explodes"  
  
"So it is possible that it was the machine that caused them to go into comas"  
  
"Yeah but unfortunately without the machine or Dr. Holland we have no way of knowing how to reverse what has been done"  
  
The two turned around to see a weary Adam standing there  
  
"There is still no change?" Emma asked  
  
"No but it seems that the machine had the opposite affect on them"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked a confused Jesse  
  
"Dr. Holland's machine was meant to isolate and separate specific pieces of an atom. Now I think what happened to Brennan and Shalimar was that the machine, most likely because of the overload of energy, merged their signatures instead of separating them"  
  
"Ok now I am confused" replied Emma  
  
"Brennan and Shalimar's test results show that their brain wave and heart rate patterns are exactly the same all the way down to their slightest bodily function"  
  
"So how do we separate them?" Jesse asked  
  
"I honestly have no idea" replied Adam  
  
~~~  
  
TBC.... Thanks for all the reviews and keep them coming. Because consider this: if the reviews don't come then I don't post. I am not trying to be mean I just want some constructive criticism about how I am doing. Considering I wrote this story fairly quickly by my standards. 


	4. chapter 4

~~~  
  
[Genomex]  
  
"Do you know why you are here Dr. Holland?" Eckhardt asked as he slowly circled the doctor's chair  
  
"No" the man replied nervously  
  
"I want you to recreate your experiments but this time I want you to apply your research to human genes"  
  
"I have no idea how that would affect the human genome structure. It could kill a person"  
  
"Is that a no? Because if it is I would hate think what would happen to you"  
  
"No wait I will need some time and resources"  
  
"I thought you would see it my way. You will have access to whatever you need but doctor I expect results or else"  
  
The scared doctor merely nodded before he was led out of the room  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Upon Adam's request Emma and Jesse returned to Dr. Holland's lab to retrieve as many pieces of the machine as they could for Adam to study.  
  
"This could take awhile" noted Jesse as he sifted through the rubble.  
  
"It is definitely going to be like putting a puzzle together" added Emma as she waved her hand in front of her nose trying to stifle the still strong smell of burnt flesh  
  
"I only need the major fragments of the machine" said Adam over their comms  
  
"Adam that could still take a while this mutant along with the explosion did a lot of damage" replied Jesse  
  
"Do the best you can" he said before breaking the link  
  
"That shouldn't be too much of a problem" mocked Emma  
  
After examining the outer casing of the machine Jesse noticed a larger unscathed piece protruding from beneath the burnt covering "Hey Emma give me a hand over here"  
  
"What did you find?"  
  
"I think the central unit of the machine is still in tact" he replied as he reached through the burnt casing  
  
"That should make Adam happy"  
  
"Yeah it should" he replied as he pulled it out and held it up for her to see "let's get it back so he take a look at it"  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Adam was pleased at the find but he was not pleased with the conclusion he had come to. The end all be all of it was that they would need Holland if they were going to succeed in bringing back Brennan and Shalimar  
  
"How the hell are we going to get him out of Genomex?" asked Jesse  
  
"If I know Eckhardt he will put Holland to work as soon as possible which means he will have to be in one of the labs" replied Adam  
  
"And there is a chance that the labs will have less security?" sarcastically asked Emma  
  
"We won't know until Jesse checks out Genomex's files" Adam replied looking directly at Jesse  
  
"I'll get right on that" he replied and left the lab  
  
"Adam level with me, how are they?"  
  
Looking from the unconscious forms of Brennan and Shalimar to Emma, Adam sighed "right now they are stable but that could change"  
  
"You said they are connected, what does that mean?"  
  
"It seems that somehow the overload of the machine caused their vitals to merge. When you think about it the human body is like a large atom so in a sense the machine did its job only the opposite way"  
  
"That clears it up for me thank you"  
  
"I don't know how else to explain it"  
  
~~~  
  
TBC....Thanks for all the reviews and keep them coming please. Glad to hear you guys are enjoying the story. 


	5. chapter 5

~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
"We've been walking around forever where are we going?" asked a frustrated Shalimar  
  
"I don't know but I am open to suggestions" spat Brennan "I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you"  
  
"Well maybe we should try and contact the others" suggested Shalimar silently accepting his apology  
  
Nodding Brennan lifted his ring to his mouth "Adam, Jesse, Emma can you guys hear me?" all he received was silence. He repeated the question and still he received no reply.  
  
"Maybe we should just go to sanctuary?"  
  
"Yeah but I still want to know what hell that was we experienced back there"  
  
"Me too but let's see if we can find the others first" she replied as they approached a parked car "you wanna do the honors?"  
  
"Cute" he replied as he got in and hot wired the car  
  
"And he's still got it" she said as she got into the passenger seat  
  
"Was there any doubt?" jokingly he asked as he pulled away  
  
~~~  
  
They arrived at sanctuary to find the place empty. They split up and searched the usual hangouts of their teammates and leader but found no one.  
  
"This place is deserted" said Brennan  
  
"Quiet, I hear something" Shalimar said as she used her feral hearing to pinpoint the location of the sound  
  
"Of course you hear something my dear"  
  
The two looked up over the dojo area to see Eckhardt standing there glaring down at them. "How the hell did you get in here?" asked Brennan letting the electricity come to life in his hand  
  
"Does it matter?" he replied looking to his left  
  
Brennan and Shalimar followed his gaze only to see about ten GSA agents standing there with taser rods ready to pounce.  
  
"Get them" Eckhardt said and the men rushed the two mutants  
  
They fought the agents but were unable to gain the upper hand. Finally Brennan had to suggest they leave and the two ran back towards the garage and got into the car and headed out of the mountain.  
  
Once they were clear of the mountain Brennan pulled over and pounded on the steering wheel several times in frustration. "How the hell did they get into sanctuary?"  
  
"I don't know but we can't stay here" she replied looking out the back window to make sure they weren't followed  
  
"Where do we go?"  
  
Scanning her memory, Shalimar remembered the location of an old safe house "Head back to town there is an old safe house, one of the first one's Adam ever opened we should be safe there"  
  
Brennan did as he was told and headed back to town. Once there Shalimar gave him directions to the shutdown safe house.  
  
They entered the safe house and managed to get the power working just enough for them to have some light. They gathered some blankets and old mattresses and put them in the main room.  
  
Once settled they sat in silence for a while both trying to figure what the hell was going on. Brennan, as he usually did when he was anxious or mad began to pace. Shalimar merely sat silent on one of the mattresses and stared off.  
  
Brennan stopped pacing and looked at Shalimar. The moment he looked at her all their other problems seemed to fade away. That was how it always was when it came to Shalimar. No matter how mad or down he was as soon as he saw her everything else seemed to fade away. Sitting down next to her he contemplated the best way to bring up the earlier scene.  
  
"Go ahead and ask"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You want to know what it was like don't you?"  
  
"Only if you want to tell me"  
  
"It goes both ways" she replied looking at him. They were both silent for a moment  
  
"My step father" started Brennan "never liked me. I still don't know if it was because I was a mutant or because if I wasn't his real son. But he always found a way to remind how I would amount to nothing. Before Mutant X I really didn't have a family or anyone I really cared about for that matter"  
  
Shalimar just listened  
  
"I tried to keep in touch with my mother after I left and moved out onto the streets but after a while we just lost touch. Part of it was I moved around so much the other part was I was afraid I would kill him if I ever went back there. So I stayed away" he looked at her when he was finished  
  
"Well you know my story already. My parents put me in that hospital to make me 'normal' and all those doctors did was drug and beat me. You know I really thought I was over all of it but seeing him again and then seeing that it just brought it all back"  
  
"Yeah I know the feeling"  
  
"After I got out of that hospital I just went from place to place never really staying anywhere for too long. I think I was afraid they would find me and it would begin all over again. Then one day Adam showed up and gave a place to call home. I guess it is the feral in me but I consider the team to be like my pack and you are all my children and I would do anything to keep you guys safe"  
  
Without even thinking about what he saying Brennan softly asked "is that all you see me as, one of your pack?"  
  
~~~  
  
TBC.....Well guys there is chapter 5. I am hesitant to keep posting b/c the reviews have become few and far between, especially for the last chapter. I will continue to post and all I ask in return is a review even if it is to tell me that the story sucks. Later 


	6. chapter 6

~~~  
  
"No you're different" she quietly replied looking him right in the eye  
  
Brennan thought his heart was going to explode out of his chest. Bringing his hand to her cheek he slowly stroked her soft skin as he leaned in and kissed her long and hard. Shalimar wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him down on top of her on the mattress.  
  
Brennan let out a moan when he felt her body rub seductively against his and before either knew what was happening they were engaged in passionate lovemaking like neither had ever experienced. Both were slow and methodical in their ministrations of the other. They went slow then fast then slow again until they were both sated and fell asleep in the other's arms.  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Adam had been running more simulations when he noticed the elevated brain activity in Brennan and Shalimar. The elevation seemed to last for about half an hour and then went back to normal. He tried to figure out what caused the elevation but was unable to find the cause.  
  
He was becoming increasingly concerned with Shalimar's condition. He feared the longer they stayed in the comas the harder it would be to not only separate them but heal Shalimar of her injuries. As time went on he was becoming increasingly convinced that Brennan was the only thing keeping Shalimar alive  
  
Just then Emma and Jesse entered the lab  
  
"Adam we found out where Eckhardt is holding Holland" said Jesse  
  
"But getting him out is going to be difficult" finished Emma  
  
Adam remained silent as he listened to Jesse and Emma and this didn't go unnoticed by the resident psionic.  
  
"Adam what is it?" nervously she asked  
  
"I've been running tests and it seems that through their link Brennan is keeping Shalimar alive. Unless we can separate them I can't heal her injuries and I can't be sure what if any lasting affects this will all have on them"  
  
Jesse and Emma remained silent as they let their leader's words sink in.  
  
~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
After lounging in bed for a while the reluctantly got dressed and began the process of figuring out what the hell was going on.  
  
"Ok so the last thing I remember is being in the lab and there was this bright light. The next thing I know I am in that apartment" said Brennan  
  
"Same here, It must have been the mutant who sent the wave of energy at the machine"  
  
"So what are we in another reality or are we in the future or the past?" asked a frustrated Brennan  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"You're in neither" came a voice  
  
The two turn toward the voice and are shocked to see Emma standing there.  
  
Brennan charged a telsa coil "How do we know you are the real Emma?"  
  
"There is nothing I can tell that will prove I am who I say I am. So you will just have to trust me and listen, Brennan. There was an explosion at Dr. Holland's lab and somehow you survived"  
  
"Yeah we kind of figured that out on our own Emma" spat Shalimar who noticed how Emma seemed to only acknowledge Brennan's presence and not hers  
  
Looking from Brennan to Shalimar, Emma slowly came to the realization that the Shalimar she was speaking to wasn't a creation of Brennan's subconscious but in fact she was the real Shalimar  
  
Seeing the look of shock on her friend's face Shalimar approached Emma "Emma what is it?"  
  
"How is this possible? I connected with Brennan not you. Unless your minds are linked as well as your bodies"  
  
"Emma what are you talking about?" asked Brennan  
  
"There was an explosion at the lab and the two of you are in comas. Somehow the machine had the opposite affect on you and linked the two of you but we only thought it was a physical link"  
  
"You mean we're unconscious?" asked a very confused Shalimar  
  
"Yes Adam thinks that the only way to separate you is to get Holland out of Genomex and back to Sanctuary. But even then he is not sure if it will work" she replied in a soft tone which signaled to Shalimar that there was more to what the psionic was telling them  
  
"There is something you're not telling us Emma, what is it?" asked Shalimar  
  
Emma hesitates for a moment because she knows how much Shalimar means to Brennan. But seeing the look on Shalimar's face she knows she can't lie "Adam thinks that because you are linked Brennan is keeping you alive. He can't heal your injuries while you're linked and even then he doesn't know if he can save you when you are separated" She wanted to cry. It had to be the single hardest thing she had ever had to tell someone.  
  
~~~  
  
TBC...Thanks or all the reviews. Sorry it took me so long to post this but ff.net was being weird with the whole upload deal. So I hope you enjoyed this part and no worries there is definitely more to come. 


	7. chapter 7

**~~~**

Brennan and Shalimar merely remained silent and it was then that Emma was certain something between them had changed. Even though they were in deep comas she could feel Brennan's anger and despair along with Shalimar's sadness.

"Look" started Emma breaking the silence "I have to go but I'll come back after we get Holland"

"So none of this is real? Everything we have gone through here hasn't really happened?" disappointingly asked Shalimar looking directly at Brennan

"Yes but the emotional stress you experience here is evident in the real world" With Shalimar's question and her reply she was sure that something definitely happened between them. However, she wasn't sure that if and when they woke up they would be able to get past it. All she could do was hope as she broke link and returned to the real world.

~~~

[Sanctuary]

Emma gasped as the link was broken and her mind was returned to the real world.

"Well what did he say?" Jesse anxiously asked

"More like what did they say" she replied "Their bodies aren't the only things that are linked their minds are linked as well" she paused giving them time to let her words sink in "They are in some sort of reality that I can't tell whose mind has created"

"So they are experiencing the same thing?" asked Adam

"Yes"

"If that is the case then we need to move fast because the longer they stay like this the harder it will be to separate them. I've also noticed that they are becoming one entity and if Shalimar's body dies then her mind could be trapped within Brennan's or they could both die from the stress"

"You don't get it Adam. I told them about Shal's condition and I could sense from Brennan that he would rather remain in coma then lose her"

"Alright so I need you two to hurry and get Holland back here before it comes to that"

Emma and Jesse quickly leave for the Helix and head for Genomex while Adam continues to monitor Brennan and Shalimar

~~~

[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]

Brennan and Shalimar had not said a word to the other since Emma dropped the bomb on them. Finally Brennan couldn't take it anymore and he loudly broke the silence.

"It's not going to happen" was all he said as he punch the nearby wall "I would rather die than live without you" he said quietly to wall but loud enough for her to hear

"And I would willingly die if it means that you could live"

"No"

"Brennan listen…."

"NO. DO YOU HEAR ME IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN" he yelled before storming out of the safe house

Shalimar watched him go and then flopped down on the same mattress they had made love on. But it wasn't real and there was a possibility that it would be. She simply lay there sobbing to herself at how stubborn he could be sometimes. That made her cry more because it was one of things she loved most about him. Her first instinct was to protect and that was all she wanted to do especially when it came to him

After leaving the safe house Brennan simply stood outside the door and scolded himself for leaving things with her the way he did. He tried hard not to cry as he listened to her muffled sobs through the door. What made it worse was remembering the conversation he had with her father the day before she woke up:

***

_Flashback_

_He was sitting at the edge of the meditation pond when he heard heavy unfamiliar footsteps come up behind him. He smirked to himself because he realized that by describing people by their footsteps made him sound just like her. When the footsteps stopped he didn't turn around, he didn't care to._

_"You care about my daughter very much don't you?"_

_"Yes" he whispered back so low he almost thought he didn't say it out loud_

_"Take care of her. God knows I didn't" was all the man said before walking away and disappearing from Sanctuary_

_End Flashback_

***

"I'm sorry" he whispered to no one in particular as he slid down the door and placed his head between his legs.

~~~

TBC…….Hope you guys are enjoying the story. The reviews have dwindled a little and I will attribute that to the fact that ff.net has been screwy this past week. So I hope to see some of your reviews, good or bad, in my inbox!!


	8. chapter 8

~~~  
  
[Genomex]  
  
Getting into Genomex wouldn't be the problem. Getting Dr. Holland as well as themselves out alive would be. The plan was simple, phase in grab Holland and phase out. It was whatever might happen in between that made the plan not so simple.  
  
Jesse phased himself and Emma through the back wall of section 12, one level down from where the database said Holland was being held. They found little resistance as they made their way up. Emma managed to make two guards think they were other scientists and they walked right by them.  
  
Entering section 12 was another story. They would need a key card from either a security guard or another scientist who had the right clearance or the alarms would go off. The cameras wouldn't prove to be much of an obstacle since Jesse had set them to a continuous feedback loop.  
  
As they approached section 12 their golden goose exposed themselves in the form of a maintenance worker bringing supplies to the lab. Never knowing what hit him the man swiped his id and allowed Jesse and Emma to follow him in.  
  
"Ok now which way do we go?" Emma asked  
  
"We should be coming up on the main lab and hopefully he will be in there"  
  
"What if he is not?"  
  
"Then we go to plan B"  
  
"What's plan B?"  
  
"Figure out where he is and get the hell out of here before someone sees us"  
  
"Some plan" snorted Emma. Jesse merely shook his head and kept walking  
  
After passing several doors they came upon the main lab. Luckily for them Holland was indeed inside working hard on the project Eckhardt had assigned him to. Deciding to make things easy Jesse simply phase the wall closest to Holland, grabbed him from behind and pulled into the hallway where Emma was waiting.  
  
"Don't scream" whispered Jesse  
  
"Adam sent us here to get you out" finished Emma  
  
"Oh thank God."  
  
"What were you working on in there?" asked Emma  
  
"Eckhardt wanted me to modify my research so it could be used on humans"  
  
"And did you?" Jesse asked  
  
"I tried but so far it has been unsuccessful. The subjects die within the first half hour of undergoing the procedure"  
  
Emma and Jesse shared a concerned look  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"Adam will explain it to you when we get to Sanctuary. Right now we need to get out of here" answered Jesse  
  
Moving back the way they came the trio was able to get as far as the back wall they entered through before the alarm sounded. "They must be losing their touch" commented Jesse as he phased the wall allowing Emma and Holland to go through before following himself.  
  
Upon reaching the helix, Jesse quickly took off and contacted Adam informing him they had Holland and were on their way back to Sanctuary.  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Jesse and Emma quickly ushered the amazed Holland through the halls of Sanctuary towards the lab. The doctor was so awe struck he didn't even notice the two unconscious forms lying on the examination tables until Adam pointed them out to him  
  
"My machine did this to them?" he asked after Adam gave him the abbreviated version of the crisis they faced  
  
"Yes it seems to have had the opposite affect on them" replied Adam  
  
"Their minds are intertwined?"  
  
"Yes now somehow they are conscious of each other and have created what Emma describes as their own reality which is affecting their vitals here in our reality" described Adam "Also Brennan seems to be keeping Shalimar, who is weaker, alive through this link"  
  
"If that is the case then he has become the dominant force, mentally and must be willing to let her mind return to her body. Me being able to reverse what has happened to them will only solve the physical aspect of the problem. Your friend needs to willingly break the mental link"  
  
"You talk like you have seen this before" inquired Jesse  
  
"That is because I have"  
  
~~~  
  
TBC...Thanks for the reviews- my inbox is very very happy!! All I ask is that you keep it happy with either a good or bad review (it isn't biased) Well keep them reviews coming and glad you guys are enjoying the story. 


	9. chapter 9

~~~  
  
Adam, Emma and Jesse merely stared at the doctor in complete and utter shock. Seeing the looks on their faces Holland took it upon himself to explain. "Back when I first started my research there was an accident and some people very close to me died"  
  
"That's why you chose to work alone isn't it?" Emma asked  
  
"Yes. We had a psionic, similar to yourself" he said glancing at Emma "he informed us that the two needed to willingly return to their own bodies otherwise the process would be useless"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Rubbing the bridge of his nose he sighed as he was forced to relive a moment that almost made him quit being a scientist "They were so engrossed in the reality their minds had created that they didn't believe the psionic and refused to let go"  
  
"Did the physical separation work though?" pushed Emma  
  
"We thought it did but we were unable to be sure since their minds were essentially gone"  
  
"So there is a chance that they could die anyway?" Jesse asked frustratingly  
  
"I am afraid so"  
  
"So you thought you would just start over somewhere else with a new idea and it would make it all right?" yelled Jesse  
  
"Jesse" started Adam  
  
"No Adam I need to know what made him think he just forget about the two people who died trying to help him become famous"  
  
Dr. Holland put his hand up to stop Adam from saying anything in his defense as he turned and looked Jesse directly in the eye "Because my wife would have wanted me to continue my work"  
  
Suddenly Jesse felt like an enormous ass "I'm sorry I didn't know"  
  
"No you didn't because I didn't tell you or your friends of the danger of being near my experiment and for that I am truly sorry"  
  
"Well we can't just leave them like this" yelled Emma  
  
"We're not going to" started Adam "I've been running simulations and I am fairly confident that if we separate them I can heal Shalimar's injuries"  
  
"Brennan won't be easy to convince" replied Emma  
  
"That is where you come in Emma. I need you to convince them that this is the only way"  
  
Emma hesitated for a moment then nodded in agreement. She moved over to Brennan connected to him as she had earlier.  
  
~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
Emma appeared in the safe house to soft sobs coming from the corner of the room. As she approached the muffled noise she was heartbroken to discover her best friend sobbing like a small child who had lost their favorite pet  
  
"Shal what happened?"  
  
"We had a fight and he stormed out" she said between sobs  
  
"We got Holland to sanctuary and Adam is pretty sure he can heal you when the two of you are separated but you have to be willing to return to your own bodies"  
  
"That's what we fought about" she replied as she wiped the tears from her cheeks "he said he would rather stay like this if it keeps me alive"  
  
"Only it may not. Holland told us that staying like this could kill you both anyway"  
  
"He won't listen to me"  
  
Emma hung her head in frustration. She had always thought ferals were difficult to deal with when it came to changing their minds. But more she got to know Brennan she found that that state of mind wasn't solely reserved for ferals; especially when it came to something that concerned him and Shalimar  
  
"Emma promise me something" started Shalimar "whatever happens you will make sure he wakes up"  
  
Emma didn't know what to say. The last she wanted to do was lose her best friend but on the other hand she understood why the feral was asking what she was asking. Her first instinct was to protect and if Shalimar dying meant Brennan could live then that is how it had to be. "I promise"  
  
"Thank you" she murmured  
  
"I'm going to find Brennan. I'll be back though" she replied as she rose and left in search of the elemental.  
  
~~~  
  
TBC....I know I took the easy way out in the last chapter with Emma and Jesse getting Holland out of Genomex but hey this story isn't about that. So keep those reviews coming. 


	10. chapter 10

~~~  
  
Emma didn't have to go far to find Brennan. Because soon as she focused in on him she realized he was just a few feet beyond the entrance door.  
  
"Brennan" she said in order to gain his attention  
  
"Go away Emma. I am not going to let her die"  
  
"She may die anyway" was all she said but it was more than enough to get his attention  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked quickly turning around  
  
"Staying like this will kill the two of you. Adam thinks he can heal Shalimar once you are separated but he can't be sure of that unless you agree to let her mind return to her body. You hold the cards Brennan"  
  
"You said yourself that Adam is not sure he can heal her. I'm sorry Emma I can't...I'd rather die than live without her"  
  
"Don't do this Brennan" pleaded Emma but he remained silent. Realizing he was not going to change his mind she broke the link and returned to the real world.  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
Once the link was broken Emma explained Brennan's refusal to willingly let Shalimar's mind separate from his. Holland once again reiterated that while the physical separation is tricky the mental separation hinges on Brennan's approval to let go.  
  
"If we do separate them successfully and he holds on to her mentally then her mind could be trapped within his forever. It could drive him insane"  
  
"Don't you think I tried to explain that to him? He doesn't want to listen" countered Emma  
  
"And when Brennan sets his mind to something he can be more stubborn than Shalimar" added Jesse  
  
"Where are we on the recreation of the machine?" asked Adam  
  
"Just about done, all we need to do is bring it in here and connect it to a power source" replied Jesse  
  
"Alright Jesse, take Dr. Holland and prepare the machine. We have to at least try" ordered Adam. Jesse nodded and led Holland out of the lab while he got things ready  
  
After making sure Jesse and Holland were out of hearing range, Emma approached Adam. "Shalimar asked me to promise her that no matter what happens I would make sure Brennan wakes up"  
  
"Can you do that?" wondered Adam  
  
"I think so but I don't know what affect it could have on him"  
  
"Emma I can't tell you what you do. You need to decide, for yourself, whether or not you want to honor Shalimar's wishes"  
  
Emma remained silent while she contemplated his words  
  
~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
Shalimar had gotten fed with Brennan's refusal to return so she went in search of him. She found him in the same place Emma had- right outside the door. At first she thought maybe he overheard her and Emma's conversation but when he didn't confront her on what she made Emma promise she realized otherwise.  
  
"You have to do this" she said in a low undemanding tone  
  
"How can you ask me to?"  
  
"Because it is in my nature and I want you to live"  
  
"Well it is not in mine and I don't want to live a life if you're not in it. I meant what I said earlier that before I met you there was no one I ever really cared about. Shalimar I have never loved anyone the way I love you and I don't want to lose that"  
  
Tears began to well up in her eyes "I don't either but no matter what happens I will always be with you" she replied as she slowly approached him "and I will always love you"  
  
In any other situation he would have been ecstatic to hear those words come out of her mouth but now it only made the knife within his gut twist deeper. If she loved him then how could she ask him to do something like this?  
  
"I.I can't" was all he muttered before backing away from her and taking off  
  
He didn't get very far before he appeared back in the safe house with Shalimar right in front of him and Emma off to the side.  
  
"It's time" was all she said  
  
~~~  
  
TBC.....Thanks for all the reviews they were great. No worries to those out there who want me to finish this because I am going to. We are almost to the end so keep those reviews coming. 


	11. chapter 11

~~~  
  
Emma knew full well that in order for him to make the decision he and Shalimar would have to be face to face. Brennan started to back way as if he was going to run again but Emma stopped him "you can't run Brennan. I will simply bring you back here"  
  
"I can't do this. Please don't ask me to do this" he yelled and Emma realized he wasn't pleading with her but rather Shalimar.  
  
"It's ok Emma you can leave"  
  
"Shal?" asked Emma  
  
"It's ok" she said again. Emma looked from her to Brennan and back to her before nodding in agreement. She turned to leave when Shalimar called out to her "remember your promise Emma"  
  
Turning to her friend one last time Emma replied "I won't" and then disappeared  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
"Emma?" asked Jesse when he noticed she had broken the link  
  
"Adam you can begin" she said ignoring Jesse. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye. She knew how close he and Shalimar were and to acknowledge that now would cause her to lose whatever nerve she had of going through with Shalimar's request.  
  
Adam didn't say a word he simply aimed and turned on the machine  
  
~~~  
  
[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]  
  
They stood staring into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. Brennan wanted nothing more than grab and hold onto her forever but as he looked into her eyes his resolve began to break.  
  
Suddenly their surroundings began to fade and two white tunnels appeared: one behind Brennan and one behind Shalimar. Knowing that this was the moment of truth Shalimar pleaded one last time with the man she loved  
  
"Just let go" quietly she said letting a lone tear roll down her cheek  
  
The emotional flood gates burst open as Brennan began to cry uncontrollably. Slowly nodding his head he hugged and kissed her before allowing her to back away from him and towards her tunnel of light.  
  
After a moment Brennan turned and headed towards his own door, all the while praying that when he awoke it would be to her smiling face.  
  
~~~  
  
[Sanctuary]  
  
The silence was so thick Emma was sure it could be cut with a knife. Adam had turned off the machine a minute ago to find that the physical separation was a success. He was now in the process of healing Shalimar's injuries while the rest of them waited to see if Brennan allowed Shalimar's mind to return to her own body.  
  
After several moments of nothing Emma decided to go through with Shalimar's wishes and she began to charge a mental blast  
  
"Emma what are you doing?" asked a shocked Jesse  
  
She ignored him but as she made ready to release the blast Brennan began to stir. Retracting the blast she leaned in and placed a hand on his shoulder "Brennan can you hear me?"  
  
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her "Emma how is Shal?" he asked in a hoarse tone  
  
Emma was about to answer when another female voice did it for her "she has the worst headache but other than that she is fine"  
  
Brennan quickly whipped his head towards the voice and had to struggle to hold back the tears when he saw Shalimar's smiling face looking at him. Without saying a word he reached and took her hand in his, tightly entwining their fingers. Her smile grew wider as she tightened her fingers around his before losing consciousness.  
  
A rush of panic spread through Brennan like nothing he had ever felt before and he started to rise off the table. But Adam quickly silenced his fear "She is fine Brennan. She is just weak and needs to rest as do you"  
  
Brennan nodded and put his head back down on the pillow and only removed his gaze from her when sleep overtook him  
  
"Let's let them rest" suggested Adam  
  
"Are they really going to be ok?" inquired Emma  
  
"Physically their scans say yes, mentally I don't know" Adam replied  
  
~~~  
  
TBC...Almost there guys just hang in a little longer b/c there is only one chapter left!! Keep them reviews coming too..I love reading them. 


	12. chapter 12

~~~  
  
[Sanctuary-two days later]  
  
Brennan sat at the edge of the meditation pond thinking about everything that had happened in the past three days. He and Shalimar had finally gotten together only to later find out it wasn't real. The whole situation made him question whether or not what happened between them in that other reality actually happened.  
  
To be honest he hadn't talked to Shalimar since Adam released him from the lab. Granted she was unconscious most of that time but it shouldn't have made a difference. He was sure the only reason he wasn't talking to her was because he was afraid. Afraid that what he felt for her had almost caused him to lose her and afraid of what the strong feelings he had for her would make him confront  
  
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that Emma had no trouble sneaking up on him. She knew he was confused and hurt. She now understood why those two people didn't want to leave the reality they had created; they were happy. Brennan had finally gotten what he had always wanted and then there was everyone else ready to rip it away from him.  
  
"Adam released Shal from the lab" he said she sat down next to him  
  
"Yeah I know" he replied never taking his gaze off the calm water  
  
"It was real Brennan. As real as the two of you wanted it to be that's how real it was"  
  
"Please don't read me"  
  
"I'm not. When I linked with the two of you that last time I was exposed to everything you experienced"  
  
"What do I do?"  
  
"This may sound like a corny line from a movie but do whatever your heart tells you to"  
  
He laughed for the first time in days "you're right that does sound corny"  
  
"Yeah well what can I say? I'm a romantic at heart. She's in her room, go talk to her" she said before getting up and leaving him alone  
  
~~~  
  
[Shalimar's Room]  
  
Shalimar was so grateful when Adam told her she could leave the lab. She needed time to think and that was the last place one could do such a thing. So here she was sitting on her bed actually unable to think about what she had wanted to think about the entire time she was cooped up in the lab. "The irony of it all" she thought to herself  
  
Laying down on her bed she began to finally think about what happened between her and Brennan while in the other reality or what ever it was called. A small smile crept to her face when she thought about the wonderful moments she spent in his arms. How his laugh made her happy and how his moans made her aroused.  
  
The smile slowly faded when she thought about how distraught he was when he she asked him to let her go. The lack of communication between them in the last three days made her wonder if he resented her for making him do it or if he thought she was questioning how deep his feelings for him ran. She was brought out of her reverie by a soft knock at her door. "It's probably Emma checking up on me again" she thought as she rolled over and faced the door  
  
"Come in"  
  
She was however pleasantly surprised when Brennan's head appeared around the door and not Emma's "Hey" she said quickly rising up off the bed  
  
"Hey, I'm not disturbing you am I?"  
  
"No not at all, come in"  
  
"Good I wanted to talk you about.you know" he said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. The last thing he needed right now was for the others to hear their conversation  
  
"Ok"  
  
"I'm sorry for how I acted it was.."  
  
"Hey you don't have to apologize. Brennan what you were willing to do for me was the single most wonderful thing that anyone has ever done or been willing to do for me in my life"  
  
"It's just.. I have never cared about anyone like this before and I really want to give us a chance. That is if you are willing?"  
  
A huge smile crossed her face "I would love to give us a chance" she replied walking over to him "but I thought that what happened back there would have proven that" she said before kissing him on the lips.  
  
"Yeah well sometimes I can be a little slow" he joked after breaking the kiss. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders that this woman could ever love him as much as he loved her  
  
"Hmm I know"  
  
"About what happened"  
  
"It was real to me and it always will be" she replied wrapping her arms around his neck "but if you want convincing then I would be happy to convince you" when she was finished she kissed him hard and passionate. After breaking the kiss she led him to her bed and showed him just how real she thought their first time together was, over and over again.  
  
The End....Hope you guys liked the story and thanks again for all the reviews. 


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